Joining The Gym // Gym Essentials

I've been putting off joining the gym for ages but after receiving a lot of comments the past year about my fluctuating weight (blame Dominoes Pizza! ) and a few pregnancy enquiries (rude or what!?) perhaps it's time to take matters more seriously and tone up for 2013.

Growing up I never had weight issues as I was naturally slender. I still feel comfortable with my body and fit into some of my old teenage clothes (if I squeeze!) however, now that I'm in my mid twenties I have bloated up around my stomach area and the tops of my arms all of which will hopefully be remedied by exercise and a few diet changes.

Luckily, my local gym had an offer on where you could purchase a 28 day pass for £28 which I think is great, especially for a newbie like me. I can try it out and if I feel it's the right gym choice for me then I will sign up for the year. It's always good to check if your local gyms have these kinds of offers, they usually pop up around spring/summer time when people start preparing for the 'beach body.'

Fashion Illustration by Dadu Shin & Interview

All images owned by Dadu Shin

Dadu Shin is a freelance illustrator based in New York who's clients include The New York Times and Simon & Schuster amongst many others. I came across his fashion illustration work earlier this year and fell in love with his use of shape and colour. Each piece looks as though it is cocooning the body, which is something I have also noticed in a lot of the runway shows this year.

Colour Palette

I decided to email Dadu and conduct an interview with him to find out more about what makes him tick:

Mavala Nail Polish in Waikiki Orange Review

169 Wakiki Orange // Mavala // £4.50

Waikiki Orange is one of my favourite summer reds that I have discovered so far. The orange tone gives it that extra bit of vibrancy that looks stunning against tanned skin.

My collection of Mavala nail polishes is growing slowly but surely, but I have noticed that the formula varies from colour to colour. Some of them require at least three coats for an even finish, but this one was thick and even from the very first coat.

Whilst I love the colour range Mavala provides, I have noticed a problem with the polishes chipping within a day or two, so to test the formula of this one I applied two layers of polish with no base or top coat.

The colour chipped on the index finger of my right hand after the second day, this is a usual thing for me as I type quite a lot at work and a top coat usually remedies this. Today is the third day of wear, and the colour has started to chip close to the tips of the nails.

Although this colour was thick and vibrant on application, I think I will definitely need to apply a third coat and a thick top coat next time to help the colour last longer. This is a common thing with Mavala polishes, but I still think they are worth it as I love the colour range.

Have you tried any colours from Mavala?

My 24th Birthday!

Hope you've all had a great Easter weekend! I know I did, as I was busy celebrating my 24th birthday :-D On Friday I spent the day with friends. First stop was La Trappiste, a lovely french themed bar/ restaurant which has a great laid-back atmosphere, so much so that we spent three hours in there!